According to the footage above from blogger Sami Cone who reported that she was at Google’s Bulletin launch event in Nashville, users will be able to update their blogs continuously (as you would with a liveblog post) and see viewership stats to know where readers are coming from.

It’ll be interesting to see how this rolls out and fits into Google’s strategy for grabbing more eyeballs through its News and Search services. Beyond getting people to try Bulletin when they’re starting out reporting local news, it’ll have to incentivize them for sticking around once they get the hang of it and feel the need to grow an audience for themselves.

Google’s app is hosted on a website that is up and running, so the curious can take a peek.

Site managers say Bulletin posts will have important meaning for visitors by helping them discover stories that aren’t being told.

Here are three reasons PR pros should keep their eyes on Google’s new community bulletin board:

1. Citizen journalism needs experts and authoritative voices.

As news organizations shrink and lose their authority on local issues, citizen journalists are stepping in to spread the word about local news and events. However, these bloggers often lack the expertise to properly deliver information to their audiences. This could be a perfect opportunity for brand managers to help create a community and further their business goals.

2. Google+ is out; this could replace it.

Some observers just see Google Bulletin as an opportunity for the internet giant to get back into the social media game after Google+ failed to achieve the success of platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

“Reminder ads like these can be useful, but if you aren’t shopping for Snow Boot Co.’s boots anymore, then you don’t need a reminder about them,” Jon Krafcik, group product manager of data privacy and transparency at Google, said in a blog post.

Marketers and PR pros must find other ways to get their organizations in front of consumers, including content marketing and other forms of owned media. Google’s Bulletin may represent another opportunity for organizations to turn owned media into news stories that people want to read.

What role do you see for Bulletin in your PR and marketing efforts, Ragan/PR Daily readers?